


Snapshots

by old fics (Lothiriel84)



Series: My first headcanon [1]
Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-04
Updated: 2012-09-04
Packaged: 2017-11-13 13:21:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/503955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lothiriel84/pseuds/old%20fics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The members of the CBI in five short portraits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cho the loyal

Kimball Cho is not very talkative. Anyway, he has no need to express openly what he feels.

The members of the team are his family. He would give his life for them.

For Lisbon, whom he trusts thoroughly. She's their leader and their reference point. She knows the importance of following the rules, and yet she can judge if a situation requires her to break them. She earns their respect and esteem day by day. And, most of all, she always manages to keep calm and sensible – no matter how much this costs her.

For Rigsby, who's his best friend – even if Cho keeps wondering how he can be so blissfully unaware of what's going on around him. Especially as far as a certain red-headed young agent is concerned. Sometimes he makes Cho want to kick him – just in order to take that dazed look off his face. However, Cho knows that Rigsby is a good agent, and would be willing to entrust his life to him.

For Van Pelt, who – although being as graceful as her name suggests – is strong and brave, her determination unwavering. Her only weak point is the nervous way she reacts to awkward situations – yet she'll eventually learn to control her emotions. It's just a matter of time.

For Jane, even if he can be quite annoying sometimes. However, despite all the problems he causes – problems that _they_ have to fix – no one can deny the bond between him and the team. Jane needs them – even though he doesn't want to admit it. And Cho would never turn his back to a friend in need.


	2. Like a teacup

Patrick Jane has always been too much self-confident. Used to having the complete control of what happens around him. Determined to achieve his goals – no matter how high is the price to pay.

Or, more precisely, that's how he chooses to appear. No one knows – no one should ever know – how often he feels… fragile. Like one of those long-stemmed glass goblets. Or… like a teacup.

He drinks the last drop of tea, then turns the empty cup in his hands. He wonders what would happen if he lets it fall. He figures the crash as the cup hits the floor, and the tiny fragments spreading across the office. Then, with a small sigh, he opens his fingers.

"Jane!"

He starts as one waking from a dream, and turns his eyes on Lisbon's face. There's a faint touch of concern behind her blaming expression.

"I'm sorry, Lisbon".

"Why did you drop it? It was your favorite teacup".

Jane shrugs his shoulders. Why did he do it? He cannot say. Or maybe even now he's lying to himself. He's getting used to that.

He shuts his eyes, feeling slightly dizzy.

"I promise I'll clean up later".

He can hear Lisbon's footsteps heading towards the door. It's late, and she deserves some rest. She stops on the threshold, hesitates, then comes back.

Jane can smell her delicate scent as she knees beside the couch and picks up the shards.

"Lisbon… you're going to cut yourself".

There's no answer. She walks away, then all falls silent.

Fighting back his sudden weakness, Jane rises and heads towards Lisbon's office.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you think", she retorts without looking at him.

After all his cup didn't shatter into a thousand tiny pieces – as he imagined before. Now Lisbon is patiently sticking all the pieces together with some glue.

"Done… you'll just have to wait for the glue to dry".

For once Jane is speechless. Maybe he should thank her. He should explain why he purposely broke his own cup. However, Lisbon doesn't let him.

"See you in the morning".

Jane waits for her to leave the office, then sits at her desk – and carefully touches the handle of the cup with his fingertip. Well, even a broken teacup can be fixed. Maybe someday he'll find someone who'll be able to fix the shards of his life.


	3. I am a rock

Teresa Lisbon lives for her work. She finds it easier not to have any private life. No one that could hurt her or make her suffer, no one she should care about.

All right, there is her team. In a way they are her family, and yet as a rule she avoids getting involved in their private worries and sorrows. After all she's been through, she couldn't bear anything of the kind.

_I've built walls_

_A fortress deep and mighty_

_That none may penetrate…_

Funny how this song on the radio describes exactly what she feels. A fortress that none may penetrate. She's safe there, no matter if she's alone – even a bit lonely, sometimes.

Well, maybe her armor has a weak point she wasn't aware of. It took her some time to realize it, and a bit longer to accept it; yet she can't deny it anymore.

Somewhere along the way – how or when she cannot say – someone managed to slip past her barriers. The fact that this _someone_ is Patrick Jane only makes it worst.

Teresa knows that their friendship will finally hurt her. She knows it, but she can't help it.

She wants to protect him. From his past, from the consequences of his own rashness. And, above all, to protect him against himself.

_If I never loved I never would have cried…_

Yeah, that's exactly it. If you love someone, you are bond to suffer. You can't stand by and see someone you love hurting himself. And yet… what can you actually do in order to prevent it?

That will eventually be your death – a slow, painful way of dying.

However, Teresa cannot show how she feels about the whole situation. She has to be strong. She's a cop, and the leader of her team.

She cannot cry, even if sometimes she really feels like it.

_I am a rock, I am an island_

_And a rock feels no pain_

_And an island never cries…_


	4. Hopeless

Wayne Rigsby has never prided himself on his insight. That's why he envies Jane his ability to read people's mind.

He always tries to figure out how to do the same, but it's no use. And Jane surely isn't an easy nut to crack.

Therefore Rigsby spends his time gazing at his colleagues, with the faint hope that someday he could guess what goes on behind the masks they usually wear.

Of course the most difficult riddle is Jane himself. He usually seems to be content with his tricks and his mind games – not to mention driving everybody crazy, especially Lisbon. However there are times when his sense of guilt and his thirst for revenge suddenly turn him into a completely different man. Rigsby can hardly imagine what Jane has been through; and yet he believes there is something wrong with all that. Revenge cannot bring your loved ones back to life; and surely they wouldn't be happy to see you drown your life in sorrow and guilt.

Sometimes he wonders it this is exactly what Jane is seeking. Hurting himself. As a sort of punishment for his sins. Just as if he could find peace only through self-destruction. This thought always scares Rigsby.

Then there is Lisbon. If the CBI was a family, then for sure Lisbon would be their eldest sister. Not only because she had to raise her three younger brothers. They all know they can trust her decisions thoroughly. Lisbon is great not only as a boss, but as a friend as well. They cannot count the times she risked her job trying to back up one of them.

Anyway Rigsby has no idea about her secret hopes, fears or desires. Whatever they are, she keeps them well hidden.

Cho instead… well, in a way he is his best friend. The one he usually tells his private thoughts to – no matter if Cho's remarks can be very sharp sometimes. And yet Rigby doesn't know much about him. Cho always avoids showing any emotion, not to mention speaking about himself.

Actually Cho as a rule lets the others speak – most of all the suspect during interrogations. He is definitely the best at that.

Finally, as far as Grace is concerned… Rigsby has to admit he cannot be objective. Every time he lays his eyes on her he loses himself in her perfect slender figure, her wonderful auburn hair, her adorable elfin face. And when she smiles – that smile that lights up all her face – Rigsby feels he could do anything for her.

Anything, except declaring his feelings for her. No wonder that Cho considers him as quite hopeless.


	5. Just good friends

Grace Van Pelt has always wanted to be a cop. And now she can hardly believe she's a CBI agent, and a member of such a great team.

It's amazing to see people with so different characters and skills working together to achieve the same goal. Thanks to Lisbon's leadership, of course – that's why Grace admires her immensely. All right, sometimes there are problems and misunderstandings; yet even that cannot mar their friendship and mutual esteem.

Grace feels she's extremely lucky; and she wouldn't give up all this for anything in the world. Well, nearly anything.

Actually there are times when her will seems to waver. Especially as Wayne – Rigsby, she quickly corrects herself – comes a bit too close, with his friendly and slightly awkward smile. Then she can't help noticing his broad shoulders, his strong hands… and that adoring look which implicitly offers her love and protection.

Of course Grace shouldn't let herself dream like that. She knows the rules. That's why she tries to convince herself that she and Rigsby are just good friends. Nothing more.

After all, why not? Jane and Lisbon _are_ friends, and that's that.

Well, the friendship between Jane and Lisbon always arouses Grace's curiosity. Maybe it's a way to distract her thoughts from Wayne. Anyway, she often watches them as they are together. Jane enjoys teasing Lisbon and driving her crazy… and yet she's the only person he really cares about. Grace couldn't tell how she understood that, but she knows it's true.

On the other hand Lisbon – despite all the problems and nuisance he causes her – has risked her job more than once in order to help him out of the trouble he had got himself into. In a way it's the same kind of relationship there is between brother and sister. They quarrel all the time, and yet there's no end to the lengths they would go to save each other.

To be honest, if they were just someone else… well, Grace might think there is something more between them. However, being Jane and Lisbon, she couldn't believe it. Not with Jane still wearing his wedding band – and Lisbon devoting herself to her job only.

A pity, Grace's romantic side suggests her. It's a pity that two people would throw away their chance of being finally happy together. Exactly the same thing that's happening to her and Wayne.


End file.
